Digester



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l l DIGESTER. A No. 376,612. Patented Jan. 17, 1888.

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DIGBSTBR. v No. 376,612. Patented Jam.l 17, 188'8.

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UNITED STATES,"

. PATENT FFliC@ DIGESTER.-

SPECIFICATION forming part. of'Letters Patent No. 376,612, dated January 17, 1888.

Application tiled January 24, 1387. Serial No. 225,269. (No model.)

To all whom# may concern:

Beitknown thatI, FREDERroK G. ROWLAND, ot New Haven,in the county ofNew Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Improvenient in Digesters; and I do her'eby declare the following,'when taken in connection with accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full,clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specifica- Figure 1, an. under side view looking upward upon the door; Fig. 2, a vertical central section cuttingthrough the hydraulic cylinder, the upper portionof the shaft a and its support omitted; Fig. 3,a vertical section cutting inthe plane ofthe shafts h a; Fig. 4, an enlarged end view of the central portion of the door, showing a part of the series oflever-cylinders; Fig. 5, a face view of the two parts of the coupling by which the two shafts h a are united; Figi, a side view of the apparatus, looking toward the'hinge; Fig. 7,\a section through the door on linea of Fig. 1; Fig. 8, a section through the door on line .e z of Fig. 1.

This invention relates to an improvement in apparatus commonly called digesters L4 that is to say, a chamber in which wood or other material is placed which is to be treated or converted under great pressure, this process being commonly called digesting, and the invention relates particularly to the larger class of apparatus and in which the digester is arranged in a vertical position, with the bottom opening as a door. These digesters are of very great capacity, and the door whichA forms the bottom of the digester, with its securing mechanism, is very heavy,in the larger class weighing several tons.

The digester is supported upon a floor, the door opening into the apartment below for the passage of the contents ofthe digester, the digester itself being charged above.

My invention is an improvement upon the invention for which Letters Patent of the United States No. 820,971 were granted to Thomas F. Rowland, dated June 30, 1885.

In illustrating my invention I show only the lower portion of the digester cylinder or 5o chamber.

A represents the cylinder. This is made from heavy sheet metal capable of withstanding the pressure, and at its upper end is provided with openings through which the digester may be charged, such openings not being shown, for the reason that they constitute no part of the present invention. 'Around the lower end of the cylinder is a flanged base, B,

which vis fixed to and made a permanent part of the digester-cylinder.

C represents the door, adapted to close'the lower end ofthe cylinder. I This door is hinged at one side upon pintles a,and so that the door may turn thereon to the open position, as seen in broken lines, Fig. 2, or be raised to the closed position,as seen in same figure. The door is constructed with an extension, D, outside the pintle a, upon which the door is hung, and above thev projection D ahydraulic cylinder, E, is arranged in a iixed position, preferably bolted directly to thebase B, as seen in Fig. 2. In this cylinder E is a piston, F, and

from the `piston a connecting-rod, G, extends and is hung to the extension D of the door, as at b,'Fig. 2. The cylinder is provided with an inlet, (not shown,) by which water orother fluid may be introduced under great pressure upon the upper end of the piston F. Vhen the door opens, as seen in broken lines, Fig. 2, the piston, under the action of the extension D from the door, is forced upward into the cylinder E, as seen in broken lines, Fig. 2. Then,when it is desired to close the door, hydraulic pressureis produced in the cylinder E upon the piston sufficient to overcome the weight of the door, and thenrunder the action o tsuch hydraulic pressure the piston descends, and, acting on the extension D of the door, outside the pintle on which the door is hung,

causes the door to swing upward into its closed position, where it may be secured, as hereinafter described.

The hydraulic pressure may be brought to bear upon the rdoor in opening, so that the fall of the door may be gradual, it' desired, bysimply gradually relieving the cylinder from the hydraulic pressure.

The fastening devicesfor the door, broadly considered,are substantially the same as shown in Patent No. 320,971, before referred to, and consist of a series of levers, I-I, radiating from the center of the door, as seen in Fig. 1. These levers at their outer end extend through a stirrup, I, in the door, but so as to take a bearing IOO upon their upper side directly upon the door. On the base around the door fixed sockets J are arranged, corresponding to the radial levers H, and into which the outer end of the levers may extend and take a bearing, as seen in Fig. 2, and so that the levers standing in that position, the inner end of the levers being raised, will act upon the sockets J as a fut crum and apply the powerot the lever against the door to bring it to its closed position and hold it in that position.

In the patent before referred to the levers are hung to a circular disk concentric with the door, axiallyguided, and so that themovement of the disk toward the door will force the levels to act upon the door, as just de scribed, and bri ng it to and hold itin its closed position.

In practice and in the heavier class of doors the strain upon the linkilike connection between the disk and levers is very great and liable to derange the proper working of the disk and levers. To obviate this ditlicnlty,[ provide a series of cylinders, K, arranged in a line concentrically around the axis of the door, as seen in Fig. 4. These cylinders correspond, respectively, to the inner end of the levers H, and verticallyin each cylinder, upon the outside, is a slot, L, through which theinner ends of the levers extend into the cylinders, as seen in Fig. 3. Vithin the cylinders is a piston or follower, M, arranged to be moved vertically therein, and to these followers the inner ends of the levers are hung, as at d, Fig. 3.

Below the series of cylinders is a circular disk, N, concentrically guided in an axial direction, and to this disk N the several followers M are connected, each by a rod, O, as seen in Figs. 3 and 4, and so that as the disk N is drawn downward from the door, as indicated in broken lines, Fig. 3, the inner end of the levers will be drawn accordingly, and as the inner ends of the levers are secured to the followers M the downward movement of the followers will cause the levers to be drawn inward until their outer ends escape from the sockets J. Then the door is free to be opened; or when the door is in the closed position, il the followers be returned or raised, then the levers will be forced outward into the sockets J and be brought to bear upon the door, so as to bring it to its completely-closcd position and there lock it.

By hinging thclevers directly to the followers, and the followers themselves being firmly held and guided, the great strain between the levers and the disk which actuates the levers, and which existed in the patent before referred to, is avoided.

In the devices for operating the disk Ishow a cylinder and piston substantially such as in the patent before referred to. A brief description of this cylinder will be all that is necessary in the present case.

P represents the cylinder, which is concen trically ixed to or made a part of the door.

In the cylinder is a piston, R, arranged to move therein in the usual manner for such pistons. From the piston a rod, S, extends out through a suitable stuffingbox, and to this piston-rod the disk is fixed, and so that as the pistou rises or approaches the door the levers are brought to the locked position, as before described, and as the piston descends the lcvers are withdrawn to release the door, as before described.

Steam or other fluid is admitted to the cyl inder below the piston-say through a pipe, T-to apply power to the piston to force the levers into the locking position, and to move the piston in the opposite direction steam may be admitted to the opposite side of the piston through a passage, U'. Thus the piston is under control of properly-arranged valves, (not showin) that in its movement it may apply or withdraw the locking-levers, as occasion requires, and as iu the patent before referred to. After the levers have been brought to the locked position, it is desirable to hold them in that posit-ion vindependent ot' the pis` tou-that is to say, so that should the pressure upon the piston which holds lthem in the locked position be released or overcome by the pressure in the digesting chamber the door would still remain in the locked position. To this end the piston S is made tubular, and axially through it is a rod, W, rigidly secured to the door-say as by a nut, V. This rod extends downward through and beyond the lower end of the rod S and is screiv-threaded. On the screw-threaded portion of the rod a nut, c, is arranged to hear against the disk N, and so that when the disk is in its up orloek ing position the nut c, brought hard against it, as seen in Fig. 3, will hold the disk in the locked position independent of the piston by which the disk was brought to such locked position. This locking devicethat is, the tubular pistonrod, concentric rod through the piston, and nut to bear upon the disk-is the subject of another application;

At the lower end ofthe rod XV is a fixed collar, f. On this collar rests a bevel-pinion, y, which is splined to the nut e, so that the revolution ofthe pinion g will be imparted to the nut e, the spline (not shown) permitting the nut to rise and fall, according to the thread of the rod, independent of the pinion. The object of this pinion g ,is to impart rotation to the nut c from a convenient point, and this is usually the floor above. To this end a shaft, h, is supported, one end in the collarf at the lower end of the rod XV, and at its upper end is supported in a bearing, t', on the door. This -shaft h carries a bevcl-pinion, Z, corresponding to and working into the pinion g, so that the revolution of the shaft lt will be imparted to the pinion g, and consequently to the nut c. Owing tothe fact that the door itself is below the iioor, (the line m representing the iioor,) there must be an extension from the shaft tabove the floor, that the workman on that door may adjust the locking devices, and

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such operating devices must be separable from the shaft h,in order to allow the door to open. Tothis end a shaft, a, is supported in a bracket, r, 1n direct line with the shaft h, and as seen 1n Fig. 3. At the lower end of the shaft a is one part, s, of a coupling,- and ou the upper' end of the shaft h is a corresponding part, t, of a coupling, (the adjacent faces of the two parts seen in Fig. 5,) and so that when the two parts ofthe coupling are engaged the revolution of the shaft n will be imparted to the shaft 7L,- bnt the couplings may be separated-by withd rawing the shaft n therefrom, as seen in broken lines, Fig. 3. The shaft n is provided with a move up and down independent of the wheel,

the spline being a common mechanical device. (Not shown.) The shaft n extends up through the hand-wheel, and its upper end is screwthreaded. Upon this screw-threaded portion is a nut, 2, from which extends an arm, 3, and to the arm a handle, 4, is applied, so that 'the arm 3 may serve as a crank to turn the nut 2. The nut bears upon the hub of the hand-wheel, and sothat by revolving the nut the shaft a maybe raised or lowered, according to the direction inv which the nut is turned. If, therefore, the nut be turned to raise the shaft, the part s of the coupling will be correspondingly raised until the two parts of the coupling are separated, andthemif the nut be turned in the opposite direction, the shaft will fall under the action of the spring u until the parts of the coupling are brought together,when the shafts are again united. In thus turning the nut to raise and lower the shaft n, it will be under? stood that the shaft n does not revolve; but when -the hand-wheel is revolved then the shaft will be revolved accordingly. Therefore, when the two parts of shaft are coupled, if it be desired to bring the vlevers H into or withdraw them from their locked position, the hand-wheel is turned to impart revolution to the nut e, as before described, and in the direction according to the movement required for the locking-levers.

As the door opens or closes, the two shafts a h must be separated before the door is opened,

in orderto allow the door to swing. Therefore the shaft a is withdrawn to separate the parts of the coupling, as before described. Then the door is free to open, the levers being withdrawn. As the door is closed, the shaft h againcomes'intoline with theshaft n. Then the couplings may be brought together. The springe is provided in order to insu re the engagement of the parts of the coupling, for if, when the door is closed, the two parts of the coupling should not registerv one with the other, while the unscrewing of the nut 2 would permit the sliaft n to move downward, it could not do so because of the non-registering position of the two parts of the coupling; but the shaft n.

being relieved from the action of the nut, will stand ready to ily into engagement with the shaft 7L whenever the two parts of the coupling shall register, and this will occur upon the first rotative movement imparted to the shaft a, and so soon as under such rotation of the shaft n the two parts of the coupling are brought into the registering position the spring u willV force the parts of the coupling together and unite the two shafts.

The arrangement of the shafts n h for operating-the levers H through the nut e and disk N may be employed without the cylinder P and its piston R-that is to say, the cylinder and piston may bedispensed with, the operation ofthelocki ng-levers being produced solely through the movement of the nut e; but, for apparent reasons, fully set forth in the patent before referred to, I prefer to employ the eylinder and piston.

That the same crank 3 maybe employed to turn the shaft n, if desired, I provideaspringlatch, 5, by which the crank may be engaged with the hand-wheel w when desired. This latch mechanism may be of various constructions, that shown being simplyaspring-socket on the hand-wheel adapted to engage a downwardly-projecting stud on the crank. Therefore, after the crank has been turned to couple the two shafts, the operator may make engagement between the crank and hand-wheel, and then, continuing the turningof the crank, will impart revolution to the two shafts a It, and thence to the locking devices.

The series of cylinders, with their followers and connections with the disk N and the radial levers, may be employed without the concentric rod \V-that is to say, the said series of cylinders and their connections may be applied to the door of the patent hereinbefore referred to, in which the said central rod is not employed.

The detachable shafts It u, with the mechanism for communicating movement to the disk N, may be employed with equal advantage where the series of levers are connected di- Areetly to the disk, as in the patent before referred to.

In some cases the apparatus is used for treating materials so as to extractjuices or otherwise form a liquor in the chamber which it is desirable to draw off. This liquor naturally falls to the bottom of the chamber and upon the inner surface of the door. which is, for convenience, made "dishing.77 This material might of course be drawn off through any point in the door; but in the opening and clos-` ing of the door it would be necessary to mechanically disconnect or connect the dischargepipe, as the case might be. To avoid this'mechanical connection or disconnection, Iconstruct the door with' a passage, 6, preferably in a radial direction, opening to the inner surface of the door, aspat 7. (See Fig. 7.) This passage extends outward to a point outside IOO IIO

the ease and turns upward, opening through the upper surface ofthe door outside the ease, as at 8, Fig. 7. Corresponding to the opening b is a pipe, 9, its open end 10 corresponding to the opening S ofthe passage o'. This pipe 9 is fixed. Between the adjacent surfaces of the pipe Sl and the corresponding part of the door a packing, 1l, is introduced, and which, as the door is closed, will come against the under face of the pipe 9 around the opening l() and securely pack that joint. Then the pipe It) acts as asiphon to draw the liquor from the chamber through the passage G. This siphon action would draw the liquor down to a certain point in the passage (5 only. To en tirely remove the liquor at thelowest point in the passage is an outlet, 12, which may be provided with any suitable faucet, through which the residue may be drawn after the siphon shall cease to act. IJy thus applying a stationary pipe, 9, and opening the passage (i upward to correspond to the end of the pipe S), the door is readily opened or closed, and thereby I am enabled to pack the joint antomatically.

As a gage is desirable to indicate the height of water in the digesting-chamber, and this should be supplied from nearly the lowest point in the cylinder-that is, in the door and below the strainer, so as to insure only clear liquor in the gage, I form a channel, 18, from inside the door (see Fig. S) to apoint outside and in substantially the same manner as the passage G eonnnunicatcs with the drawoff. This channel communicates with a passage, ll, which lcads to a glass tube, 15, at some convenient point outside the digestingchamber, and into which the fluid from the digcsterchamber will pass and maintain a constant level with the iluid in the chamber, and therefore serve as an indicator as to the quantity of fluid in that chamber. Around thc opening in the channel a packing is introduced, as seen in Fig. S, the same as the packing 1l of Fig. 7, and so that as the door opens the channel may separate, and when the door is closed the packing is produced between the channel and the tube, so as to prevent leak at that point.

\Vhile I have called this apparatus a digester,77 and such is the commonly-accepted term for the apparatus, it will be understood that it lnay be applied for various uses, and that the invention is therefore not to be limited to any specific use.

I claiml. A digestcr-chamber and a door hinged to the bottom thereof, combined with the rod \V, carrying a pinion, g, for operating the clamping devices, a shalt, l1, supported at its lower end upon said rod and its upper end ina bearing on the door, a pinion, Z, on said shaft 7L, adapted to work into the nut-pinion ff, a shaft, a, arranged in a support independent of the door, but in line with the shaft It, the adjacent ends of the two shafts provided with separable parts ofthe coupling, the upper end of said shaft a screw-threaded, a nut, 2, thereon, by the rotation of which the said shaft a may be moved in an axial direction, substantially as described.

2. A digcster-chamber and the door hinged to the bottom thereof, combined with the rod \V, carrying a pinion, g, for operating the clamping devices, a shaft, h, supported at its lower end upon said rod and its upper end in a bearing on the door, a pinion, Z, on said shaft h, adapted to work into the nut-pinion y, a shaft, a, arranged in a support independent of the door, but in line with the shaft h, the adjacent ends of the two shafts provided with separableparts ofthe coupling, the said shaft a provided at its upperend with means, substantially such as described, to impart rotation thereto, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. A chamber and a door hinged thereto and adapted to form the bottom of the chamber, the said door constructed with a series of vertical cylinders, K, in a concentric circle upon its under side, cach of said cylinders constructed with a vertical slot, L, opening outward, combined with a follower, M, in cach of said cylinders, a disk, N, below said cylinders and vertically guided, a connection from each of said followers with said disk, a series of radial levers, H, the several levers of the series corresponding, respectively, to the several cylinders on the door and projecting radially therefrom, the inner end of said levers roo hung to the follower in their respective cylinders, a series of sockets, J, surrounding the door and corresponding to the respective levers II, the said sockets adapted to receive the outer end of said levers, and mechanism, substan- 105 tially such as described, to impart up-anddown movement to said disk and followers, substantially as described, and whereby under such up-and-down movement of the disk and followers the said levers will be accordingly 1ro forced into or drawn from said sockets.

4. A chamber and a door hinged to the lower end ofsaid chamber and adapted to form the bottom ofthe chamber, the door swinging downward in opening, combined with mechan- I I5 ism for detachably securing said door in its closed position, the said door constructed with a passage opening at one end through the door into the chamber, the other end of thepassage turned upward through the door outside the 12o chamber, with a fixed escape-passage outside the chamber and eorrespondin g to the opening in the door outside the chamber, and a packing around said opening between the door and the said fixed passage, substantially as described. 125

FREDERICK C. ROWLAND.

Witnesses:

Fnnn C. Bauma, J. II. SHUMWAY. 

